The mayor of Taxco de Alarcón, Juan Andrés Vega, released a video message after being found alive with his father, in which he expressed his gratitude to federal and state authorities for his rescue, after both were deprived of their liberty.
In his message, the mayor stated that in the most difficult moments he held on to his faith and noted that he and his family are in good health. "Today I can say with peace of mind that my family and I are well," he stated.
The mayor thanked the support of the Government of Mexico, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, as well as the performance of the Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, and the support of the government of the state of Guerrero, led by Evelyn Salgado Pineda.
He also recognized the work of the security agencies that participated in his location and rescue, attributing them a responsible and committed performance during the operation. He also recognized his work team for remaining firm during the situation and for continuing to serve the population.
"Thank you also to each person in Taxco, who sent a message, who asked, who were attentive," he added.
How did the disappearance of the mayor of Taxco and his father happen?
According to information from the Security Cabinet, the father of the mayor, Juan Vega Arredondo, was last seen on Saturday, April 11, after his vehicle was found abandoned in the community of Acamixtla, east of Taxco.
Subsequently, on Monday the 13th, Mayor Juan Andrés Vega went out to look for his father; however, a few hours later his family and collaborators lost communication with him. It was then that a search operation was deployed, with 500 security elements in the air and on land, in the municipalities of Taxco, Tetipac, and Pilcaya, in Guerrero, as well as in the State of Mexico and Morelos.
The authorities specified that they were notified of what happened by municipal personnel, since initially no formal complaint was filed for the kidnapping, and there was also no "economic demand".
The search involved the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), the Attorney General's Office (FGR), as well as the security secretariats and prosecutor's offices of Guerrero and the State of Mexico.
The Michoacán Family, implicated in the Taxco mayor case
The 35th Military Zone, based in Chilpancingo, confirmed the activation of the device after the disappearance of the mayor and his father was reported, which allowed the search perimeter to be expanded to neighboring entities.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, reported that personnel from the State of Mexico Security Secretariat located Juan Andrés Vega Carranza and his father, who were transferred to Iguala for medical evaluation.
Regarding the lines of investigation, García Harfuch indicated that the possible participation of the Michoacán Family in the deprivation of liberty of the mayor and his father is being investigated. He commented that within the investigation file, "narcomantas" (banners left by cartels) that point to supposed links with organized crime and the mayor of Taxco are being considered.
